Year 2- 10th October 2025 –Bawean -Java Sea -Welcome Day

We had suggested that they delayed the welcome ceremony to allow other boats to arrive which they agreed to. It therefore meant we had a bit of a lie in or some of us took the opportunity. It was another lovely day and we had our usual fruit and yoghurt breakfast.

I had a lot of admin to do namely checking with agents in Malaysia and Thailand and marinas in between and planning date wise where we were going and when. We are getting toward the end of the time in Indonesia and it is time to move on and to ensure we get to Phuket by 25 November 20205 so that I can fly home for my mother’s memorial service and so that Stormbird can be lifted out after Year 2.

Keith made some bread and Janet had made a bolognaise, some swam and read and we had a relaxing morning generally. Mark and I went ashore to get rid of the rubbish and to say hello. We wondered around a bit and had a coconut for a refreshing drink. They were preparing for the welcome party and they had asked me to represent the sailors on the rally. There was to be a dance which ends in a fight and I would then be asked to break up the fight and as a hero I could be given an “odeng” a special hat. I would also then give a speech after the welcome speech by the island official.

We returned to Stormbird and some other boats had arrived which was good so there would be more people from the rally at the Welcome. We got changed and then left for shore about 1.30pm. We and the other dinghies were greeted by many people from the Island who all wanted to talk to us and to have a picture with us. They had been practising their English I think because we were asked the same questions many times- what is your name, where are you from, what do you think of Bawean Island. It took us a long time to get to the seating area where we had water, bananas and some sort of cakes to eat.

 The ceremony started at about 2.15pm with a ritual dance from two men who had swords and initially it was peaceful and then it turned into a fight and on cue I went in and broke it up and made the men shake hands. Ruth was with me and then we were presented with the odeng which was shaped like the pope’s hat so I looked like a pope apparently. There were all sorts of dignitaries who had been invited, local officials, members of the military, customs, coastguard etc. The Island official gave a speech mostly in English and then I stood up and thanked the people for their welcome and their kind hospitality etc and then Ruth said a few similar words.

 It was then a chance to mingle, take photos, walk round the stalls and say hello to the large number of people who came to the ceremony. We were videoed, interviewed, talked to and photographed over a number of hours which gets exhausting and you can see how it feels to be a celebratory and to be chased and photographed all the time. The people were so welcoming, nice and friendly and so proud of their Island.

 The issue for us is that we had given them our washing to do and it had not come back. We were told 5.00pm which came and went and I was starting to get a bit anxious as we had decided to move on that evening to Kalimantan, Borneo and the Orangutans. We had booked a 3 day/2night trip on a houseboat which goes up the Seykonyer River and into the Tanjung Putting National Park where there are Orangutans as well as other monkeys and wildlife.

 They started to clean the beach so we all helped them and just as it was getting dark the laundry came thankfully. We said our thank yous and goodbyes and returned to Stormbird. We dressed in our sailing clothes and then prepared to leave by pulling up the dinghy, putting down the solar panels and tidying up and stowing away.

 We left in the dark about 6.40pm and motored out of the bay keeping out of the way of other yachts and a tug. There was a large barge not lit so we used our torches to locate it and avoid it. We could see ahead many fishing boats starting their night’s work. Once we were out of the bay the wind increased to about 10-12 kts so we got out the genoa and set course for a waypoint some 150 miles away. We managed 5 plus kts which was fine. Steve and I took the first watch until 11.00pm. Janet made her spaghetti bolognaise which was good which we eat in the dark but it was appreciated. Once eaten and cleared up we got on with our shift and the others went to bed/rest in preparation for the night watches.

 We had quite a busy watch really as there were lots of fishing boats out, not many on AIS but they all had different lights which do not really conform to the Coll Regs but as long as we can see them.  There was a large net or so I thought which had flashing lights on it in a sequence shaped in a circle which we avoided and again not marked on AIS. We handed over to Mark and Ruth and we went to be as we were on again at 5.00am.

 It had been a good visit to Bawean and a shame we could not spend more time there.  It is a lovely small Island and quite primitive in certain ways but very beautiful and the people were lovely. I shall not forget it. However we had seen a good chunk of the Island and needed to move on.     

 The picture of the day is Ruth and I with our odeng’s and the officials.  

 Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Chagos, Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.  I am looking for crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town and from Cape Town to the UK. If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com